Showman or Plonker ?

[essexbasscat]

There has been some discussion on another thread about someone looking an utter plonker (or words to that effect) on stage.

That got me curious as to how people recognise or decide when;

- someone is using the art of showmanship

- When someone is acting or looking the Pr*t


Do the criteria change from era to era ? genre to genre ? Is it an age thing (as when you see the aged rocker in skin tight leathers with thinning long hair)

I'm curious, what do you think ?

T

Edited July 18, 2010 by essexbasscat

[rOB]

humm, tricky one. I guess it depends on the genre, the gig and how convincing the performer is?

When on stage (to be fair its been a little over a year), I get very self conscious and struggle to perform (other than playing the music)

[BigRedX]

Totally Subjective:

[essexbasscat]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='897958' date='Jul 18 2010, 12:11 PM']Totally Subjective:

[/quote]


I agree with that theory. However, on the other thread everyone practically rushed to call one chap every derivative of a pr*t, which speaks of some common opinion.

By the way, the other thread was for someone selling a bass on e-bay, giving pictures of him holding said instrument while posing on stage.

T

[Rayman]

[i]I believe[/i] that when you're playing in front of an audience, you owe it to them to put on a show, or at the very least look like you're enjoying the gig even if you really aren't, after all, it's showbiz isn't it? Even if it's only down the local pub, it's still a live gig, and people have taken time out of thier day to come and watch you.

I've always hated bands that stand motionless staring at thier feet looking miserable, I really hate that.

So my vote is for showing off, every time.

[Rayman]

[quote name='essexbasscat' post='897964' date='Jul 18 2010, 12:17 PM']By the way, the other thread was for someone selling a bass on e-bay, giving pictures of him holding said instrument while posing on stage.[/quote]

Which thread?

[essexbasscat]

[quote name='Rayman' post='897972' date='Jul 18 2010, 12:27 PM']Which thread?[/quote]

Thread = The bass or the bassist ? posted by annoying twit. The link to the e -bay auction in question is below.


[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ibanez-BTB-07-LTD-Bass-/140428761561?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item20b234d9d9"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ibanez-BTB-07-LTD-Ba...=item20b234d9d9[/url]

T

Edited July 18, 2010 by essexbasscat

[Rayman]

Ta, I'll have a look.

[BigRedX]

I think for the bassist in question it depends what the rest of the band look like...

[Rayman]

Hmm...well I can see why some people would find his add a bit irritating, [i]me?[/i] I think it's a great, fun add, informative info, and the pics show the bass in the kind of settings it might find itself with a prospective new owner. I don't have a problem with that add at all.

[thisnameistaken]

I don't think age is a critical factor, really. If you look right standing still then you'll look right moving about. In that eBay ad I would say the gentleman in question is a bit on the portly side for a rock star, but mostly it's that nobody should put their foot on a monitor at waist height, it just looks like a warm-up exercise.

[essexbasscat]

[quote name='Rayman' post='897968' date='Jul 18 2010, 12:23 PM'][i]I believe[/i] that when you're playing in front of an audience, you owe it to them to put on a show, or at the very least look like you're enjoying the gig even if you really aren't, after all, it's showbiz isn't it? Even if it's only down the local pub, it's still a live gig, and people have taken time out of thier day to come and watch you.

I've always hated bands that stand motionless staring at thier feet looking miserable, I really hate that.

So my vote is for showing off, every time.[/quote]


+1 to showmanship, after all, the band is there to entertain. The chap on the other thread is mild compared to some over the years i.e. Funkadelic, the glam era (which was great for showmanship) etc. Not to mention Hollywood !!

T

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='897958' date='Jul 18 2010, 12:11 PM']Totally Subjective:

[/quote]


That for me is utterly cringe worthy but I'm sure it adds to the music they are playing.

I think as Si is always saying image is very important.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited February 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[essexbasscat]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='898023' date='Jul 18 2010, 01:24 PM']I don't think age is a critical factor, really. If you look right standing still then you'll look right moving about. In that eBay ad I would say the gentleman in question is a bit on the portly side for a rock star, but mostly it's that nobody should put their foot on a monitor at waist height, it just looks like a warm-up exercise.[/quote]


The walrus of love ? portly ?

How many ageing rock stars have a spare tyre around the middle ?

T

[essexbasscat]

[attachment=54525:74ot8.jpg]

[attachment=54524:11394885469055gd3.jpg]


Here's some good'ns

T

[Happy Jack]

Put on a show, yes, but I'm not the frontman.

Most of the time I focus on playing the right notes in the right order, but there are points in some songs where some mild posing and face-pulling goes with the line I'm playing, and I take full advantage of that.

[Mykesbass]

I know a singer who is the quintessential "ageing rocker" - long, thinning grey hair, beads, denim etc, zero people skills, terrible singer, yet he is always getting gigs and always puts on a good show. I only realised how bad he was when I heard him without seeing him.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Mykesbass

[crez5150]

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='898106' date='Jul 18 2010, 03:10 PM']I know a singer who is the quintessential "aging rocker" - long, thinning grey hair, beads, denim etc, zero people skills, terrible singer, yet he is always getting gigs and always puts on a good show. I only realised how bad he was when I heard him without seeing him.[/quote]


Mick Jaggers been doing it for his whole career!!

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='898106' date='Jul 18 2010, 03:10 PM']I know a singer who is the quintessential "aging rocker" - long, thinning grey hair, beads, denim etc, zero people skills, terrible singer, yet he is always getting gigs and always puts on a good show. I only realised how bad he was when I heard him without seeing him.[/quote]

I know a guy like that too. He was gigging when I was a nipper and he's still gigging now. In the same venues it has to be said! I was always terrified of him because he looked mental. He takes a LOT of drugs. Turned out he was my mate's uncle which was funny.

Edited July 18, 2010 by thisnameistaken

[gazhowe]

Nothing wrong with a bit of showmanship IMHO as surely the point is to entertain people and have fun. It helps if you also don't take yourself too seriously. That said, if you're posing and jumping around to the point where it's seriously impairing your ability to play the song properly then perhaps it's time to re-think your priorities.

Edited July 18, 2010 by gazhowe

[ThomBassmonkey]

So long as people look like they're having fun, it doesn't really matter what they're doing in my opinion.

It's hard to tell if it looks out of place when you see a still of one band member, who knows what (s)he's in the middle of doing or what their other band mates are doing. It might be totally in place if you watch the whole scene.

[thinman]

A lot more goes if there's a hint of humour/irony in it. Look at The Darkness.

Which reminds me of the worst band I ever saw. It was "Satans Empire" in 1983 at The Woolwich Tramshed. Imagine The Darkness hammed up tenfold but with no sense of humour and a singer that looked like Max Wall in spandex. At one point he jumped off the stage to threaten the soundman (who I was sat near) to accuse him of "deliberately making them sound sh1t!".

Silly man.

[MB1]

MB1.
...The Guy is obviously enjoying himself!...apparently the police... have found the motorcyclists who ran over his bass!

[stingrayPete1977]

I like to find a pillar or something to hide behind!
I think every town has one of those ageing rock dudes and I guess some of us will become the next generation, Sadly one of our town heros passed away unexpectedly last year.He used to be at the front at every gig praising them up and lightening the mood at some of those gigs where no one wants to start dancing. We played Oasis live forever as a tribute to him! Proper nutter though but missed all the same and to think we used to get annoyed by him sometimes is a bit shameful now.